5 Homemade Almond Ice Cream Recipes

My family has the ice cream gene. We love ice cream, especially when it involves chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and cherries on top. Sadly, I've discovered I am both lactose and soy intolerant, which makes eating ice cream a not-so-pleasant experience. Recently, I have been buying almond ice cream at the grocery store when I can find it. I'm always a little disappointed when I have to pass up the Moose Tracks and pick one of three boring flavors of almond ice cream, none of which are chocolate. Not only is it hard to find good flavors, it is prohibitively expensive to buy on a regular basis. It also contains additives you can easily avoid by making it yourself. With a little patience, it is possible to make an affordable, lactose-free, soy-free ice cream in whatever flavor you could possibly want.

The following recipes have been husband-tested and approved! His favorite is the Chunky Monkey. I can't choose a favorite. I like them all.

Almond Ice Cream Base
(Print Recipe)

3 cups homemade almond milk
1/3-1/2 cup sugar, depending on preference and the sweetness level of whatever goodies you want to add to it.

Bring milk to a boil. Stir in the sugar. Lower the heat as low as your stove will allow and let it simmer for at least an hour and a half. You may want to walk by occasionally and stir it, but patience is the key here! You want to reduce the milk to about 2/3 it's original volume. Once the milk thickly coats the back of a spoon, it's ready.

You are basically making sweetened condensed almond milk (good to know for other baking projects that call for sweetened condensed milk). Add whatever flavors you want and chill in the fridge overnight. My favorite flavors to add are cocoa powder, peanut butter powder, and almond extract.

Once cool, freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Add any nuts, fruit, or chocolate pieces when the ice cream reaches soft-serve consistency.

Transfer to a plastic container and ripen in the freezer until solid.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, simply move the chilled mixture to a shallow container and freeze it, stirring every half hour for about 3 hours, until ice cream becomes difficult to stir. Pay careful attention to the edges, being sure to scrape and mix any frozen portions thoroughly with the rest. Add any nuts, fruit, or chocolate pieces when the ice cream reaches soft-serve consistency. Continue to freeze until solid.


Mexican Chocolate Almond Ice Cream
(Print Recipe)

3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick cinnamon
2 tbsp cocoa powder
Dash of cayenne (optional)

Place milk and cinnamon stick in a saucepan.

Bring to boil. Stir in the sugar. Lower the heat and let it simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Once mixture reduces to about 2/3 its original volume, and thickly coats the back of a spoon, remove from heat.

Remove the cinnamon stick. Whisk cocoa powder into the milk.

If you are feeling particularly adventurous, stir in a dash of cayenne. Chill in the fridge overnight.

Once cool, freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Ripen in the freezer until solid.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, simply move the chilled mixture to a shallow container and freeze it, stirring every half hour for about 3 hours, until ice cream becomes difficult to stir. Pay careful attention to the edges, being sure to scrape and mix any frozen portions thoroughly with the rest. Continue to freeze until solid.

Optionally dust with ground cinnamon or nutmeg before serving.


Chunky Monkey Almond Ice Cream
(Print Recipe)

3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 banana
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Cut the banana into bite-sized chunks. Flash freeze by placing the chunks on a plate lined with parchment or waxed paper. Make sure they are mostly not touching; otherwise they will stick together, defeating the purpose of flash freezing. Keep in freezer for several hours. Once frozen, transfer to a sealable bag or container until you are ready to use.

Bring milk to boil. Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Lower the heat and let it simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Once mixture reduces to about 2/3 its original volume, and thickly coats the back of a spoon, remove from heat. Chill in the fridge overnight.

Once cool, freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Add the banana, chocolate chips, and walnuts once the ice cream has reached soft-serve consistency. Ripen in the freezer until solid.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, simply move the chilled mixture to a shallow container and freeze it, stirring every half hour for about 3 hours, until ice cream becomes difficult to stir. Pay careful attention to the edges, being sure to scrape and mix any frozen portions thoroughly with the rest. Add the banana, chocolate chips, and walnuts once the ice cream has reached soft-serve consistency. Continue to freeze until solid.


Mint Chocolate Chip Almond Ice Cream
(Print Recipe)

3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp mint extract
1 tbsp chopped, fresh mint leaves
1 cup chocolate chips

Bring milk to boil. Stir in the sugar and mint. Lower the heat and let it simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Once mixture reduces to about 2/3 its original volume, and thickly coats the back of a spoon, remove from heat. Chill in the fridge overnight.

Once cool, freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Add the chocolate chips and mint leaves once the ice cream has reached soft-serve consistency. Ripen in the freezer until solid.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, simply move the chilled mixture to a shallow container and freeze it, stirring every half hour for about 3 hours, until ice cream becomes difficult to stir. Pay careful attention to the edges, being sure to scrape and mix any frozen portions thoroughly with the rest. Add the chocolate chips and mint leaves once the ice cream has reached soft-serve consistency. Continue to freeze until solid.


Triple Berry Almond Ice Cream
(Print Recipe)

3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup strawberries
1/4 cup raspberries
1/4 cup blueberries

Cut the strawberries into bite-sized chunks. Flash freeze all the berries by placing the chunks on a plate lined with parchment or waxed paper. Make sure they are mostly not touching; otherwise they will stick together, defeating the purpose of flash freezing. Keep in freezer for several hours. Once frozen, transfer to a sealable bag or container until you are ready to use.

Bring milk to boil. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Lower the heat and let it simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Once mixture reduces to about 2/3 its original volume, and thickly coats the back of a spoon, remove from heat. Chill in the fridge overnight.

Once cool, freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Add the berries once the ice cream has reached soft-serve consistency. Ripen in the freezer until solid.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, simply move the chilled mixture to a shallow container and freeze it, stirring every half hour for about 3 hours, until ice cream becomes difficult to stir. Pay careful attention to the edges, being sure to scrape and mix any frozen portions thoroughly with the rest. Add the berries once the ice cream has reached soft-serve consistency. Continue to freeze until solid.